West Philippine Sea
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Enforce UN ruling? Carpio lists ways
War never is an option. Diplomacy can fortify the UN ruling on Manila’s row with Beijing. Supreme Court Senior Justice Antonio T. Carpio enumerates some diplomatic initiatives, in a presentation to the Stratbase-Albert del Rosario Institute. Third of four parts: There is no world policeman or sheriff to enforce the arbitral ruling. However, […]
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Ex-DFA chief warns of price PH might pay for huge China loans
MANILA – Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto del Rosario on Thursday took a critical view at the widening financial relationship between the Philippines and China, warning of the perils of haphazardly incurring debts to fund its projects. In a speech at a forum marking the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southehast Asian […]
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Repsol says drilling suspended on Vietnam oil block disputed by China
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s Repsol said it had suspended oil drilling in a block off Vietnam, where the prospecting in South China Sea waters claimed by China had infuriated Beijing and brought Chinese pressure on Vietnam to stop. Tension has been growing between Vietnam and China over energy development in the waterway, where extensive Chinese […]
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Vietnam halts South China Sea drilling ‘after Chinese threats’
Bangkok: China has threatened to attack Vietnamese bases over gas drilling in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, according to diplomatic sources in Hanoi and the Asian oil industry. Vietnam responded by ordering a subsidiary of the Spanish company Repsol, which was doing the drilling, to leave the area called Block […]
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The ASEAN Summits and the South China Sea
From August 2-8, ASEAN leaders and their dialogue partners, including rivals China and the United States, will have a series of key security meetings in the Philippines. Casting a shadow upon these meetings and haunting the corridors will be recent developments regarding the South China Sea. Indeed, it is no coincidence that tensions are flaring […]
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Japan, Vietnam protest against China’s gasfield activity, cinema in disputed seas
TOKYO/HANOI (AFP, REUTERS) – Japan has lodged a protest with China over what it described as suspicious activity in a maritime area rich in gas deposits in the East China Sea, officials said Tuesday (Aug 1), while Vietnam condemned China’s construction and operation of a movie theatre on the Paracel islands in the disputed […]
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A More Muscular Britain in the South China Sea?
The hype surrounding the UK’s future role on the issue needs to be put into proper perspective. Late last week, a series of remarks by British officials about the country’s future actions in the South China Sea quickly reverberated across the world, prompting headlines that suggested a more muscular role by the Britain in the […]
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What is the South China Sea code of conduct, and why does it matter?
Besides celebrating the organisation’s half century of existence, the parley also brings together top diplomats from non-members such as the US, China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, India, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and participants in forums such as the Asean Plus Three, the East Asia Summit and the Asean Regional Forum. China and Asean […]
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Xi personally behind island-building in the South China Sea
Communist Party mouthpiece praises president’s tough stance on maritime disputes with Asian neighbours An editorial on Friday in Study Times – put out by the Central Party School, the Communist Party’s top academy – was the latest to lavish praise on Xi for his tough stance on territorial issues with the country’s Asian neighbours. “[President […]
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Vietnam’s strategies in the South China Sea
A year ago on 12 July 2016, the Arbitral Tribunal handed down its award on the claims brought by the Philippines against China over their maritime disputes in the Spratly Islands. The Tribunal ruled unanimously on almost all of the Philippines’ claims. If China and the Philippines had complied with the findings of the award, […]